Natural England boss reveals concern over budget for nature restoration
Tony Juniper, chairman of Natural England, said the 'very tight' spending settlement expected in light of current economic stresses will pose 'big challenges' for those working to reverse the country's decline in nature.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed is understood to have settled the department's budget for the next three years with the Treasury on Thursday.
It comes ahead of Rachel Reeves announcing her first multi-year spending review settlement as Chancellor on June 11.
The Government has recently come under fierce criticism from environmentalists over proposed changes to nature protections in the planning bill and recent reports that the budget for nature-friendly farming would be slashed.
Speaking to the PA news agency on Friday, Mr Juniper said: 'I am concerned about the budget side in particular because the job that we need to do is very significant.'
The Natural England chairman cited the levels of ambition in Government nature targets such as committing to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 – known as 30×30.
'We will work within the envelope that we have, recognising the country does face very serious economic stresses at the moment,' he said.
'But it does concern me naturally in terms of the scale of the task ahead and what we need to do.'
Mr Juniper outlined some 'remedies' to receiving limited resources, such as working at a more strategic scale to increase impact and working in partnerships with land managers, statutory bodies and local government.
Natural England will continue to highlight the extent to which nature will help the country meet multiple goals, including food production, infrastructure and housing, he later added.
'Obviously if we are going to achieve the goals that we need, it is going to be really, really important to move beyond the framing of nature being a block to economic development, and seeing that nature is essential for economic development,' he said.
Green groups recently hit out at the Chancellor for 'leading an ideological charge against nature' after she suggested some nature protections are a blocker to development.
Asked about the criticism, he said: 'I can't really comment on that. I would say that nature is essential for the country's economic and social wellbeing, and we have evidence to prove that.
'We have a lot of evidence to confirm how nature is really a minor factor in limiting the ambitions we have to renew our infrastructure and build houses.'
His comments came as Natural England declared 800 hectares of north Kent a national nature reserve, which means different stakeholders work together on conservation and restoration efforts across the landscape.
Speaking from the new North Kent Woods and Downs national nature reserve on Friday, he said: 'We are in one of the most pressured parts of England.
'So being able to blend this significant area of nature protection and nature recovery into a landscape that's going to be receiving tens of thousands of more houses, plus major infrastructure in the form of the Lower Thames Crossing, this is a great example – not only of nature recovery – but also doing that in the context of these other essential demands that the country is placing on the land.'
Nature minister Mary Creagh told stakeholders at the launch event in Shorne Wood Country Park: 'Nature is at the core of what we're doing.'
Later asked Mr Juniper's concerns over the budget, she told the PA news agency: 'I understand (the) Secretary of State settled yesterday.
'So we won't comment on speculation but I'm confident that we will have the resources we need to reach our targets.'
Ms Creagh denied the Government has been prioritising other areas at the expense of the natural environment.
'Look at our actions,' she said, citing announcements of the first National Forest in more than 30 years, the first wild beaver release in over 400 years, mapping every single tree in the landscape and getting the biggest ever nature-friendly farming budget out the door to farmers.
'This is about opening up a conversation and making sure, for example, on reservoirs, that we have the drinking water that the nation needs, that we have the housing that the nation needs, but at the same time protecting and restoring 30% of land and seas by 2030,' she said.
'We're always keen to work with environmental groups, and we're always keen to get things right so where there are criticisms, we will listen.'
On the new national nature reserve, she said: 'This is all about bringing people closer to nature, and that's one of the guiding missions of this Government – is to make sure that people living in urban areas have access to really high-quality green space and nature, rich and wildlife, rich spaces right on their doorstep.'
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